Engine.



G. LARSON.

ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILBDMAR, 1S, 1914.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

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ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MARJB, 1914A Ptlred 5311.26, 1915.

WITNESSES: I N VEN TOR.

THE MORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTc-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

rITED STATES PATENT orrroa.

CHRIS LARSON, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY C. OHLMAN, 0F DENVER, COLORADO.

ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHRIS LARSON, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in vapor actuated engines of the type in which the intake and exhaust of motive iuid at opposite ends of a reciprocating piston is controlled by valves which are mounted on the piston.

My invention relates more particularly to engines of the type in which the valves are automatically shifted duringjand by the reciprocating movement of the piston on which they are mounted, to admit and exhaust the motive fluid alternately at opposite sides of the piston, and its primary object resides in the provision of certain improvements which simplify the construction of an engine of this character, while rendering its operation more reliable and effective.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of improved means by vwhich the positions of the valves can be reversed at any point in the movementof the piston to reverse the direction of rotation of the crank shaft with which the piston is operatively connected.

An embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated, and in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, axial section through the cylinder and piston of the engine, Fig. 2, a section taken along the line 2 2, Fig. 1, Fig. 3, a section along the line 3 3, Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a section along the line 1 -4, Fig. 1.

The reference numeral 2 designates the hollow cylinder which is closed at its ends by means of heads 3 and 4. The cylinder has at diametrically opposite points intermediate of its ends, an admission port 5 and an exhaust port 6, respectively connected with conduits 7 and 8 for the flow of motive fluid to and from the same.

The head 3 has a centrally disposed stuffing box 9 of conventional construction `for the sliding passage of a piston-rod 10 which at its inner end is by means of a key 12 rigidly connected with a piston 13 which is slidably fitted in the cylinder.

The piston which at its opposite ends, carries packing rings 14 to effect a fluid tight connection with the interior surface of the cylinder, has between its said ends, diametrically opposite, longitudinally extending open recesses l5 and 16 which serve as chambers for the inlet valve and the exhaust valve which are mounted on the piston as will hereinafter be described.

The inlet chamber 15 connects with the portions of the cylinder at opposite ends of the piston by axially alined passages 17 formed in its end walls, and these passages are provided with screw threads to receive coperatively threaded screw plugs 18 in which the valve is longitudinally slidably supported, as will hereinafter be described.

The plugs have central bores for the support of the valve, surrounded by openings 19 which provide ducts for the passage of motive fluid from the valve chamber to the portions ofthe cylinder at the respective ends of the piston, and at their inner ends they have concentric valve seats which in the operation of the engine are alternately engaged by correspondingly ground faces on the valve to close the passages occupied by the plugs on which they are formed.

The valve consists of an oblong body comprising two heads 21 which are integrally connected by a tapering shank 20 of reduced diameter, and which at their outer ends are chamfered to fit the seats on the inner ends of the plugs18.

The'valve body is provided at its extremities with axially alined stems 22 of reduced diameter which are slidably fitted in the axial bores of the screw plugs and project beyond the ends of the piston.

Inasmuch as the distance between the chamfered faces of the valve body is less than that between the seats on the plugs, the valve has a limited longitudinal movement in its chamber, which may be varied by adjustment of the plugs and which in the operation of the engine is obtained by the abutment of the ends of the valve stems 22 with the inner end surfaces of the cylinder.

A curved leaf-spring 23 applied between the shank of the valve and the bottom surface of the chamber 15, serves to frictionally maintain the valve in its adjusted positions.

sages 211 and which is closed at its ends by means of valve disks 26 of'greater diameter which are rigidly connected and heldin place on the body by nuts 27 screwedon the threaded ends of 4a bolt '28 whichprojfects through central apertures ofthe disks. lThe v mnerfaces-of the valve members are chamfered to lit seats provided by countersinking the outer edges of the respective passages in `the end walls ofthe chamber.

v The length of the body portion of the exhaust valve vexceeds that of the piston Ato `permit of a limited longitudinal movement of the valve to alternately close'the passages 24, which movement is like that of theintake valve, obtained by the engagement of the extremities ofthe valve 25, inthis case the ends of the bolt 2S, 'with the inner surfaces ofthe cylinder heads. l

' The hollow body portion of the valve has adjacentV its ends, longitudinally extending oblong ports Q9 which whenthe disks 26 are separated from their respective seats open lthe passages 24, for the flow of motive fluid `from the interior of the cylinder into the 'chamber 16.

A spring 30 disposed in the bottom of the exhaust chamber, engages the cylindrical body 25 to frictionally maintain the valve in its adjusted positions.

The length of the piston S'exceeds onehal'f the interior length of the cylinder, so that when the vpiston'is at the-end ofits strokes, it covers ,the admission portandthe exhaust port in theperipheral wall of the cylinder', which ports are thusin continuous communication `with the open sides ofthe valve ehambersland 16, in the periphery of the piston. Whenthe piston is at the end of its out wardstroke as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, the ends of the stem,22 of' thefintake valve and the bolt 28 of the exhaust valve,'at the outer end of the piston, engage the `in ner surface of the outerhead of the cylinder, with theresul't that the passage 17 of the intake chamber .at the said end of the piston, isopen and the passage 24Jof'thefexhaust chamber at the same endof thepiston is closed. The motive fluid entering thecylinder through the -`port 5, flows into the intake chamber and throughthe open ducts 19 of the plug 18 atthe forward end .of the piston, into the space betweenrthesaid end and the head 1 of the cylinder, andby its expansive force, drives the pistoninwardly until the '-ends ofthestem o'nthe intakev valve and thebolt on the exhaust valve at the oppositeend .of the piston,.engage the inner head 3..of.. the.cylinder when the position of the two valvesis automatically reversed.

-, flhe intake Valve being shifted to close the passage at the outer end of its chamber bygengagement with the seat ofthe respective screw plug, at the same time opens the 'fpassafgeatHohe-opposite end of the same, thereby permitting the fluid entering the cylinder throughl the port" 5,'t0fl0w` from the 'intake chamber of ther piston which is in con- "stant Comunication' with'said port, through the open passage, into the space rbetween the Episton Aand thewhead of vthe cylinder,` to I"drive the piston outwardly. Q The spent iiuid at the oposite end of the pistonisa't-'the *same time compelled to" ententheexhaust Achamberthrough its 4open'passage 2&1' at the forward end of the "piston with relation to the *direction `of`its9movement, Vand is exhaustedfrom the ysaid chamber through the port 6 in thecylinder Vwall, with whichfits open side is'in "constant communication. It will thus be seen that by fthe reciprocating movement ofthe piston, the positions of the `-two'valves"m`ounted therein are automatically 'reversedatfthej end of each stroke, wherebythe 'motive iiuid is admitted ini the cylinder valternatelyy at `opposite ends of: the piston and the spent fluid is simultaneously exhausted from the interior of the cylinder atthe'other end tof the same. l"

lTo reverse the directionof rotation of a shaft with which the piston-rod has a driving connection, `I' havefprovideda simple contrivance which enables Vthe engineerlto `reverse the 'positions ofthe valves 'on the piston at any point.' in its reciprocating movement. `This c oiitrivance consists lof two fiat abutment platesE 31 which normally `are disposed in, do1respondingly-formed recesses Sittin 'theinner surfacesof 1thecylinderheads and whichfarerigidly attached at the Aends of rods 433 vwhich pass slidingly ythrou gh stuiiingboxes V341on?thevsaidfheads.

' 'To reverse'thevalveson the"` piston for the purpose of lrev'ersingthe direction of rotation Vofz the' engine "shaft, it is but n'ecessary "to move one of the Vplateslinwardly, as shownl'at4 the left-hand side vo f VEig. 1, until it is engaged by the endsof the valves, it being understood that'levers lor y'other suitabledevic'esare connected" with thefrods for their. operation.

1t will be observed that at the end ofthe piston fowardxwitli relation tothedir'ect'i'on ofits tmovementglthe end of the 'exhaust valve is1 slightly in`y advance ofthe" end off the stem onthe intake valve so that the exhaust' of motive fluid will be discontinued before aL freshv charge of 'fluid 'isadmitted 'g Pet'cocksare applied at the bottom of the cylinder 'for the drainage of water of condensation, it being understood however,

that air under pressure is as effective a medium for the operation of the engine, as steam.

Hai/'ing thus described my invention what l claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

l. In an engine of the character described, a cylinder having an admission port and an exhaust port intermediate of its ends and abutments adjacent its said ends, a reciprocating piston having chambers opening in its circumferential surface to register with the respective ports, and passages for establishing communication between said chambers and the portions of the cylinder at opposite ends of the piston, and valves shiftably mounted on said piston to alternately open and close the said passages of its said chambers, by engagement with said abutments.

2. ln an engine of the character described, a cylinder having intermediate of its ends an admission port and an exhaust port, and adjacent its ends, abutments, a reciprocating piston having valve-chambers disposed to register with the respective ports, and passages for establishing communication between said chambers and the portions of the cylinder at opposite ends of the piston, and valves shiftably mounted on the piston to alternately close and open the said passages of its said chambers by engagement with said abutments, the said abutments .being adjustable to be operatively positioned at different selected points in the path of the piston.

3. In an engine of the character described, a cylinder having intermediate of its ends an admission port and an exhaust port, and adjacent its ends, abutments, a reciprocating piston having valve-chambers disposed to register with the respective ports, and passages for establishing coinmunication between said chambers and the portions of the cylinder at opposite ends of the piston, and valves shiftably mounted on the piston to alternately close and open the said passages of its said chambers by engagement with said abutments, one of the opening in its circumferential surface to register with said port, and passages for es tablishing communication between said chamber and the portions of the cylinder at opposite ends of the piston, and a valve mounted on said piston to alternately open and close said passages by engagement with said abutments.

5. In an engine of the character described, a cylinder having a port intermediate of its ends and abutments adjacent its said ends, a reciprocating piston having a chamber opening in its circumferential surface to register with said port, and passages for establishing communication between said chamber and the portions of the cylinder at opposite ends of the piston, a valve mounted on said piston to alternately open and close said passages by engagement with said abutments, and means on said piston for frictionally maintaining said valve in its adjusted positions.

In an engine of the character described,

a cylinder having an admission port and an exhaust port intermediate of its ends, and abutments adjacent its said ends, a reciprocating piston having chambers and in its circumferential surface openings connected with said chambers and adapted to continuously register with the respective ports during movement of the piston, and passages for establishing communication betvfeen said chambers and the portions of the cylinder at opposite ends of the piston, and valves shiftably mounted on said piston to alternately open and close the said passages of its said chambers, by engagement with said abutments.

ln testimony whereof l have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHRIS LARSON. Witnesses:

G. J. ROLLANDET, L. RHoADns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

